Zoneton Middle School seventh grader Ashley Nelson found that out when she received a $1,000 check toward her college fund from the “Dive into Savings for College” sweepstakes presented by the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives and the Kentucky Education Savings Plan Trust.

Ashley, 14, was one of 16 statewide winners to receive the $1,000 prize.

The Dorothea Stottman Library in Hillview, where Ashley participated in the contest through a summer reading program, will also receive $500 toward its facility.

The 2010 contest theme, “Make a Splash-Read,” was offered throughout the commonwealth encouraging young people to continue reading in the summer when school is closed. Over 100,000 children participated in summer reading programs in the past year.

Ashley is a regular visitor at the Stottman Library. She frequents the computers and always finds a book or two to read.